You & I

by Padgett Powell

Two ageing male friends, somewhere in the USA, sit on their porch and watch the world go by while keeping up a constant dialogue about their past, their likely future and the state of the world. Sound depressing? It's not! A short entertaining read, very funny at times.

Extract

Four grand will get you there? I should think so. Yes.You'll stop this trebly warbling and trembly walking around and all the goddam moping and incoherent expressions of your pain as if only you have any, and the incessant holding of your large face in your tiny hands?Yes, I shall stop all that.Four grand is cheap if it will stop the lugubrious flood of youWell, pay up, and I'm a new me, that's all I can tell you.